15 Months Imprisonment After Fatal Shooting in Carinthia

At the Klagenfurt Regional Court on Wednesday, a 44-year-old from the district of St. Veit an der Glan was sentenced to 15 months in prison, five of which are unconditional, for grossly negligent homicide. The defendant had hit a 36-year-old with a rifle bullet in August 2024, but due to the circumstances of the crime and the lack of intent to kill, a murder charge was not pursued. The verdict is not final.

On the day of the crime, the defendant had an argument with his stepson in a tavern and then drove home. On the way, the defendant was called and threatened by him again. When the stepson then stood with two other men at the door of the 44-year-old and wanted to enter the house, the defendant fetched his rifle from the bedroom cabinet and left the house through the back entrance. In the dark, one of the three approached him and, with the words "Then shoot, you clown," reached for the barrel of the weapon.

Low Trigger Weight

The weapon, as an expert determined, had a very low trigger weight. "The murder weapon had a trigger weight of only 0.41 kilograms, compared to a police service weapon which has around 2.5 kilograms," explained prosecutor Veronika Holub. By grabbing the barrel, the defendant's index finger, which was on the trigger, was moved and the weapon was fired. The victim suffered a through-and-through shot at chest height and died from the massive injuries. Intent to kill could not be proven, which is why a murder charge was not pursued.

The defendant pleaded guilty. He was incredibly sorry for the incident, and according to defense attorney Philipp Tschernitz, he had nothing to do with the victim before. The defendant was also not unjustifiably afraid of the stepson, who had a criminal record and was very aggressive. He is being investigated in a separate case for the threats made.

Defendant in Carinthia Accepted Verdict

The trial against the 44-year-old was joined by three private parties who demanded compensation for the family's grief. Single judge Oliver Kriz ultimately found the defendant guilty and awarded the private parties a total of 25,000 euros in compensation for grief. The defendant accepted the guilty verdict but requested three days to consider the private claims. The prosecutor made no statement.

(APA/Red)

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